Beach locker

ABSTRACT

A beach locker consisting of a stacked array of containers each forming a coin-operated locker or the like, and having a pipe passing through a portion thereof from which the array is mounted and secured. The pipe is secured at its lower end in a slab of concrete. A locking or engaging means is disposed above the array of containers for securing the beach lockers onto the pipe so that they are not removable therefrom. The structure may be of stainless steel, Fiberglas, polyethylene-coated structures and other waterproof materials, as desired, to endure the weather conditions on ocean fronts and swimming pool decks. An umbrella may be mounted from the upper end of the pipe. The lockers may be variously shaped including trapezoidal, rectangular, and the like. The pipes as well may be arranged in various configurations including hexagonal or the like.

UllitEd States Patent [191 Biondi et a1.

1111 3,710,736 1 Jan. 16,1973

[54] BEACH LOCKER [76] Inventors: Phyllis R. Biondi; Jery M. Kelso,

both of Kineway, Rt. 728, Markham, Va. 22643 [22] Filed: Dec. 16, 1970 211 Appl. 110.; 98,521

[52] US. Cl. .....109/50, 52/40, 52/169,

109/53, 109/52, 312/216 [51] Int. Cl ..E05g 1/00 [58] Field of Search ..135/5 D; 61/5; 52/79, 236,

[5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,172,193 2/1916 Bullock 312/107 2,537,317 1/1951 Probasco.... ..312/265 2,883,247 4 1959 Thompson.. 135 20 R 3,512,857 5 1970 Butera 312 111 1,122,278 12 1914 Tackson..... 312 107 1,959,291 5 1934 Millice ..109 51 3,301,620 1/1967 Probasco ..312 1075 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 514,891 0 1939 Great Eritain ..II..."....I.'52 169 9/1955 France ..312/107 Primary ExaminerFrank L. Abbott Assistant Examiner-Henry E. Raduazo Attorney-Keith Misegades and George R. Douglas, Jr.

57 ABSTRACT A beach locker consisting of a stacked array of con tainers each forming a coin-operated locker or the like, and having a pipe passing through a portion thereof from which the array is mounted and secured. The pipe is secured at its lower end in a slab of concrete. A locking or engaging means is disposed above the array of containers for securing the beach lockers onto the pipe so that they are not removable therefrom. The structure may be of stainless steel,

Fiberglas, polyethylene-coated structures and other waterproof materials, as desired, to endure the weather conditions on ocean fronts and swimming .pool decks. An umbrella may be mounted from the upper end of the pipe. The lockers may be variously shaped including trapezoidal, rectangular, and the like. The pipes as well may be arranged in various configurations including hexagonal or the like.

9 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PATENTEU JAN 16 I975 INVENTORS PHYLLIS R. BIONDI JERY M. KELSO BY ZZYS ATTO BEACH LOCKER The present invention relates to a new and improved beach locker usable on swimming pool decks and ocean front beaches, and the like, whether at motels, hotels, swimming pool clubs, and the like. In particular, the invention relates to a beach locker molded of Fiberglas or the like, and mounted from pipes, rods or the like, from a concrete slab mounted at the beach or other location, or mounted from a mobile skid or sled, that may be pulled onto the beach during use and removed therefrom for storage such as at night and the like, and which may be provided with a dune-like covering made of molded Fiberglas, plastic, molded pre-case concrete, pre-cast Gunite-like material and other suitable materials that withstand wind, rust, water, salt spray, and thus provide easy maintenance. Gunite is a tradename or trademark for a type of concrete sprayed on a form or mold.

The hardware fittings such as hinges and locks and the coin-operated features thereof may be made of stainless steel for prevention of rusting.

An object of the invention is to provide a reinforced or strength constructed Fiberglas locker of molded form that may be several standard sizes, preferably rectangular in horizontal cross-section, and having a hinged door that opens from the front and may lock into the front opening of the locker. The lock arrangement may be a coil-operated lock, as are well known and in use in train stations, bus terminals and airport terminals. Another type of lock arrangement may be the conventional hasp lock with a padlock.

Another object of the invention is to provide a preformed Fiberglas locker unit which may have an eccentrically mounted hole in the top and bottom surfaces of the locker, such as at the rear left-hand corner, so that when the units are predisposed in stacks they can be slipped over a pipe or rod which has been preset in a concrete slab so that the lockers will be nonmovable and can be locked into place at a point above the top locker on the stack. The lock at the top of the stack may be a conventional combination lock.

A further object and feature of the invention is to provide a beach locker complex which is interposed into the atmosphere and environment of a sun deck, a swimming pool deck, lake shore or a boardwalk-ocean front environment in which a sand dune conveniently covers the back portion of the stacked array of lockers and thus serves as a protection from the weather, from salt spray and from other environmental factors.

Another feature and advantage of the invention is that the pipes preset in the concrete slab may be arranged in a hexagonal configuration, rectangular configuration, or other arrangement so that the lockers may form a kiosk with other locker units or with other coin-operated mechanisms, whether a cigarette machine, a sandwich-dispensing machine or liquid refreshment-dispensing machine and the like. Where there is a single pole arrangement for mounting the stacked array of locker units, the pole may be used for an umbrella pole from which an umbrella is mounted at the upper end thereof.

An additional object of the invention is to use the stacked locker arrangement at ski resorts so that the invention is adaptable for use as weatherproof rental lockers. A locker of a sufficiently tall dimension could be used for skiis and ski poles, and the like.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon full consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a longitudinal array of stacked waterproof locker units in accordance with one of the preferred embodiments of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a modification thereof showing in perspective a series of locker units in stacked array mounted from a concrete slab in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a detailed arrangement of an array of waterproof locker units mounted on a pole secured in a slab of concrete, and in which several other poles are disposed from the concrete slab prior to their having locker units mounted from them;

FIG. 4 shows an arrangement in which the locker units are mounted from poles disposed in hexagonal relation to each other; and I FIG. 5 shows how a similar arrangement can be embodied using trapezoidal cross-sectional lockers taken along a horizontal cross-section thereof, in accordance with one of the preferred embodiments of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in the various figures of the drawings, and in particular FIG. 1, a base 10 for a stacked array 12, the base consisting of a slab of concrete, brick-work or the like, which is pre-cast or performed, in the ground or beach area where it is desired to be located. If located on a beach, it would be advisable to sink piers or piles (not shown) for securing the concrete slab to them to prevent high tides from undermining the slab and lockers.

The stacked array 12 consists of a vertical series of lockers 14,14 which may be interfitted at the top and bottom interfaces in the usual way (not shown) so that they are in contiguous relationship to each other. The stacked array forms lockers. The lockers are constructed of F iberglas, plastic or of any fibrous or plastic material that lends security to the contents of the lockers, and each locker is provided at its front surface with a door 18 and a locking means 20. The door is supported from a piano-type hinge or other convenient hinge means 22. The locking means engages the structure of the locker for securing it in its locking relation when closed.

Through the top and bottom surfaces of the lockers, there is a circular opening 26 which is provided for the passage of a metal pipe 30 therethrough, the pipe being securely cast in fixed relation to the base 10, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show that the pipes 30,30 are firmly embedded and secured in the base 10, and that the stacked array of lockers 12 is disposed upon the pipes so that the pipes 30,30 pass through the openings 26. As shown in FIG. 3, the lockers are supported from the base in an upward relation therefrom, and the uppermost locker 38 may have immediately above it and supported structurally from the pipes 30 a locking or engaging means such as an aperture with the uppermost hole 40,40 in the pipe 30 receiving a combination lock or padlock 46 to secure the locker array from being withdrawn or removed from the pipe 30.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show arrangements in which the pipes are arranged in a circular or hexagonal pattern, and in which the lockers themselves are disposed in a similar relation of hexagonal or polygonal array, such as is shown in these figures. FIG. 5 shows that the horizontal cross-section of the locker may itself be trapezoidal in configuration, while the other figures show that the locker may be its usual rectangular cross-section.

In FIG. 2, there is shown an embodiment in which it is preferred to show and provide an umbrella 44 mounted from the top of the pole 30 to provide a protective function to the stacked array of lockers 12, so that they are protected while used as storage elements, or while they are being attended to in securing or releasing from the lockers the items which have been placed therein.

It is within the purview of the present invention that the locking means 20 may be a combination of coinoperated locking means within the purview of the present art, or it may be a key-operated locking means as are well known.

There is shown in FIG. 1 an arrangement that provides a protective means such as a sand dune 50 serving as a weather protector, and which faces or interposes itself between the locker array 12 and the ocean, or other environmental elements.

The Fiberglas lockers may be molded, or they may be individually constructed from metal, or other available construction means may be provided. It is noted that the hole or opening 26 is usually disposed in one side of the rear, such as the left-hand comer of the locker, as is generally shown in each of the FIGS. 1, 3, 4 and 5. The sand dune is seen to provide an atmospheric and artistic relation so that the locker array is not seen to over-commercialize the beach, swimming pool deck or ski slope environs where these. may be installed and operated.

Thus it is seen that the present invention provides for the installation at motels, hotels, beaches and swimming pool decks of an arrangement of lockers in a stacked array for locked containers and useful for weatherproof rental lockers or the like.

The sand dune environment shown in FIG. 1 may be a pre-cast sand dune or a pre-cast Gunite-like material sprayed on a form for fitting over the rows of lockers 12, and shown and described above. Thus the invention contemplates a molded Fiberglas material used as lockers to form cabinets or locking means that may be disposed in any of various ways, in the stacked array suggested, or securely fitted to form various configurations open to all weather and environmental conditions.

Additional embodiments of the invention in this specification will occur to others and therefore it is intended that the true spirit of the invention be limited only by the appended claims and not by the embodiments described hereinabove. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following claims in determining the true spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. An outdoor beach locker comprising a stacked array of weatherproof containers each defining a locker and each having an aligned passage vertically extending therethrough, a base for the stacked array consisting of a slab of concrete onthe like pre-cast in the ground or beach, a series of pipes having one extremity thereof preset within the slab and the major portion thereof extending upwardly thereof for passing through the aligned vertical passage of the stacked array, each of the lockers having a door and locking means fixed to engage the structure of the locker for securing it in locking relation, and an engaging means immediately above the uppermost locker of said array for receiving a paddock to secure the array from being withdrawn from the pipe.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein a collapsible umbrella is removably mounted from the free end of each of said pipes.

3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the horizontal cross-sectional area of said lockers are trapezoidal in configuration.

4. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the pipes are spatially supported from said slab to describe a hexagonal configuration;

5. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said pipes pass through said apertures located in one of the rear corners of said lockers.

6. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said pipes pass through said apertures in the lockers located substantially in the center thereof and in which an umbrella may be mounted on the free end of said pipe.

7. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said locking means is a coin-operated key locking means.

8. The invention according to claim 1 wherein a preformed contoured sand dune is disposed to cover the upper and rear portions of a stacked array of said lockers for providing environmental and sea protection I between said locker array and the forces of weather and environmental elements.

9. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said locker has a rectangular vertical cross-section. 

1. An outdoor beach locker comprising a stacked array of weatherproof containers each defining a locker and each having an aligned passage vertically extending therethrough, a base for the stacked array consisting of a slab of concrete or the like precast in the ground or beach, a series of pipes having one extremity thereof preset within the slab and the major portion thereof extending upwardly thereof for passing through the aligned vertical passage of the stacked array, each of the lockers having a door and locking means fixed to engage the structure of the locker for securing it in locking relation, and an engaging means immediately above the uppermost locker of said array for receiving a paddock to secure the array from being withdrawn from the pipe.
 2. The invEntion according to claim 1 wherein a collapsible umbrella is removably mounted from the free end of each of said pipes.
 3. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the horizontal cross-sectional area of said lockers are trapezoidal in configuration.
 4. The invention according to claim 1 wherein the pipes are spatially supported from said slab to describe a hexagonal configuration.
 5. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said pipes pass through said apertures located in one of the rear corners of said lockers.
 6. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said pipes pass through said apertures in the lockers located substantially in the center thereof and in which an umbrella may be mounted on the free end of said pipe.
 7. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said locking means is a coin-operated key locking means.
 8. The invention according to claim 1 wherein a preformed contoured sand dune is disposed to cover the upper and rear portions of a stacked array of said lockers for providing environmental and sea protection between said locker array and the forces of weather and environmental elements.
 9. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said locker has a rectangular vertical cross-section. 